Arrangement and method for feeding flushing fluid

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure relates to a flushing system and a method of controlling the feeding of flushing fluid. The flushing system includes a pump unit for feeding pressurized flushing fluid to a feed duct connected to a rock drilling machine. The flow rate of the flushing fluid to be fed is controlled by controlling the pumping of the flushing fluid. The flow rate is determined by one or more sensing devices.

RELATED APPLICATION DATA

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to EP Patent Application No. 14172341.1, filed on Jun. 13, 2014, which the entirety thereof is incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a flushing system of a drilling unit. The flushing system includes a pump unit for feeding pressurized flushing fluid needed in drilling. The flushing system further includes means for conveying the flushing fluid and means for controlling feeding of the flushing fluid.

The disclosure further relates to a method of controlling feeding of flushing fluid in a flushing system of a rock drilling rig.

BACKGROUND

In mines and at other work sites, rock drilling machines are used for drilling bore holes into rock surfaces. The rock drilling machine comprises a rotating device for rotating a drilling tool during drilling. Flushing systems have been developed for feeding flushing fluid through the tool to the drill bit and further to the bottom of the drill hole. In some solutions flow of flushing fluid is adjusted by means of adjusting valves, which are designed especially for the purpose. However, these known flushing systems have some drawbacks. Some known solutions are disclosed in documents US-2012/048620-A1, WO-03/071096-A1, GB-1437442-A, WO-2007/122288-A1, WO-2007/138170-A1 and WO-2004/065761-A1.

SUMMARY

An aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a novel and improved flushing system and a method of controlling feeding of flushing fluid of a rock drilling unit.

An idea of the disclosed solution is that flushing fluid is fed from a pump unit to a drilling unit for flushing drilling cuttings away from a bore hole being drilled. Flow rate flowing to the drilling unit is adjusted by controlling pumping of the flushing fluid.

An advantage of the disclosed solution is that adjustable needle valves or corresponding adjusting elements are not needed in the flushing system. Instead, the needed adjustments may be executed by controlling the pumping. The flushing flow may be adjusted accurately and the operation of the system is easy to control. The disclosed solution may allow a simple and reliable configuration to be utilized in the flushing system.

According to an embodiment, a feed duct of the flushing system is provided with one or more valves. The valve is without any adjusting means allowing adjusting the flow being fed through the valve. Thus, the valve is on/off-type having only two positions, namely an open position and a closed position. This type of valve is easy to control, reliable and inexpensive.

According to an embodiment, the flushing system includes at least a first feed duct and a second feed duct, which are operationally parallel relative to each other. The first feed duct is provided with a first valve and a first throttle. Correspondingly, the second feed duct is provided with a second valve and a second throttle. The first throttle and the second throttle both have orifices, which differ in size. Further, the first valve and the second valve are independently controllable, whereby the valves may be opened and closed separately and simultaneously. The control unit is configured to control opening and closing of the first valve and the second valve according to the operation of the drilling unit. In this embodiment flushing flow may be directed through one or more suitable valves by controlling opening and closing of simple on/off-valves arranged in the feed ducts. The system is simple and requires no expensive components. It should be noted that the number of the parallel feed ducts may be three, four or even more, and the feed ducts are provided with the disclosed valves, throttles and differing orifice sizes.

According to an embodiment, the flushing system has two or more parallel feed ducts provided with valves. The valves are operationally parallel and have flow paths which are different in size. Flow rate of the flushing system is adjusted by controlling a pump. Flushing fluid flow is directed through the two or more valves so, that opening and closing of valves is controlled in response to magnitude of the supplied volume flow of the pump unit.

According to an embodiment, at least one feed duct of the flushing system is provided with a control valve and a throttle. The throttle is an integrated element of the valve. Thus, the throttle is a constructive part of the structure of the valve whereby no separate throttle element or device is needed. The structure may then be compact.

According to an embodiment, at least one feed duct of the flushing system is provided with a control valve and means for throttling flow of the feed duct. The valve may have a control element, such as a control spindle, which may be moved in order to influence to flow through the valve. The control element may be moved between closed and opened positions. Further, one or more preset intermediate positions may be determined for the control element so that when the control element is at the intermediate positions, different throttling is achieved. Thus, instead of several valves, different preset throttling may be achieved by means of a single valve. The control element may have one intermediate position whereby two different throttlings may be achieved, for example.

According to an embodiment, at least one feed duct of the flushing system is provided with a control valve and a throttle. The throttle is a separate element relative to the valve. Thus, the valve and the throttle may both be simple standard hydraulic components. Valves and throttles having different properties may be combined in order to find a desired combination.

According to an embodiment, flow rate determination is performed by a pressure difference measurement. Thus, at least one feed duct of the flushing system is provided with means for throttling flow of the feed duct. At least one throttle may be arranged in the at least one feed duct, wherein the throttle causes a pressure drop. Pressure drop over the throttling is sensed or measured and this data is used for determining flow rate in the observed feed duct. The produced data may be transmitted to a control unit of the flushing system. The pressure difference measurement is a reliable measuring principle and requires no expensive measuring devices. Pressure sensors are durable and easily mountable.

According to an embodiment, the flushing system includes at least one first pressure sensing device for detecting pressure of the flushing fluid acting before the throttle, and correspondingly at least one second pressure sensing device for detecting pressure of the flushing fluid acting after the throttle. The sensed pressure data is transmitted to a control unit of the flushing system. The control unit is configured to determine a pressure difference caused by the throttle in the feed duct. The control unit is further configured to determine the flow rate of the flushing fluid on the basis of the detected pressure difference. The produced data on the flow rate may be utilized for controlling a pump of the flushing system in order to control the flow rate of the flushing fluid.

According to an embodiment, the flow rate is determined by one or more flow meters. The produced data is utilized for controlling a pump of the flushing system. In this embodiment at least one feed duct of the flushing system is provided with at least one flow meter for determining the flow rate of the flushing fluid.

According to an embodiment, produced flow rate of a feed duct is adjusted by adjusting operating speed of the pump. The pump may be driven by an electrical motor. Operating speed of the pump is adjusted in order to adjust the produced flow of the flushing fluid. Rotational speed of the electric motor may be adjusted by means of an adjusting device.

According to an embodiment, produced flow rate of a feed duct is adjusted by adjusting operating speed of the pump. The pump is driven by an electrical motor and the speed of the motor is adjusted by a frequency converter. The frequency converter allows an accurate control of rotational speed. Further, the frequency converter is a reliable component.

According to an embodiment, produced flow rate of a feed duct is adjusted by adjusting operating speed of the pump. The pump is driven by means of a hydraulic motor.

According to an embodiment, the pump of the flushing system is a pump provided with fixed displacement, such as a centrifugal pump or a gear pump. The produced pressure of the pump is adjusted by adjusting rotational speed of the pump. The pump with fixed displacement has simple and durable structure and is inexpensive and easy to control.

According to an embodiment, the pump is a variable displacement pump allowing flow rate of the flushing fluid to be varied. Displacement capacity i.e. amount of fluid may be varied by adjusting pumping elements of the pump.

According to an embodiment, the flushing system is provided with an air-mist flushing feature. The flushing system may include one or more compressors for producing compressed air for the flushing. The system further includes a water pump arranged to produce pressurized water for the flushing. The produced pressurized flushing water and the pressurized flushing air may be mixed in a feed duct in order to produce air-mist. The flushing system has a control unit, which is configured to control the operation of the compressor and the water pump. The air-mist flushing system may be an optional system, which may be used when needed. Thus, in the optional system the flushing may be executed using liquid flushing or air-mist flushing depending on flushing need. The water pump may be arranged to produce needed water flows for the normal liquid flushing and the air-mist flushing. Further, when the flushing system includes both flushing types, there may be two feed ducts or lines, which are dimensioned for different flow rates. Thus, the system may include a liquid flushing feed duct to be utilized in liquid flushing and having a greater cross section as compared to an air-mist flushing feed duct. In the liquid flushing a great amount of flushing fluid is typically used and in the air-mist flushing the flow rate may be substantially smaller.

According to another embodiment, the flushing system is provided with an air-mist flushing feature. The system includes a compressor for producing needed pressurized air flow. Operational speed of the compressor may be controlled by means of a control unit. The compressor may be driven by an electrical motor and rotation speed of the electrical motor is controlled. The speed of the electrical motor may be controlled by means of a frequency converter in order to adjust production of the compressed air. An advantage of this solution is that the compressor may be controlled accurately and by using reliable control system.

According to another embodiment, the flushing system is provided with an air-mist flushing feature. The system comprises a compressor for producing needed pressurized air flow. The compressor may be driven by a hydraulic motor and rotation speed of the motor is controlled by means of a control unit.

According to an embodiment, the flushing system includes one or more control units for controlling feed of the flushing fluid. The control unit may have one or more processing devices for implementing the control. The control unit may be provided with one or more predetermined control principles for the operation of the flushing system. The control principle may be stored in memory storage of the control unit or it may be retrieved from an external data source. The control unit is configured to determine control parameters in the processing device on the basis of the received sensing data and the control principle. The sensing data may be received from one or more sensing devices arranged to measure and detect properties of the fed flushing fluid. The predetermined control principle may be configured to control feeding of the flushing fluid by utilizing a flow control principle, which is disclosed in this patent application. Another control principle may be configured to monitor drilling procedure on the basis of the sensed data. Further still, an alternative control principle may be configured to detect failures in the flushing system.

According to an embodiment, the flushing system includes a control unit and one or more control principles to be executed in the control unit. An optional control principle may be designed to detect clogging of flushing fluid apertures of a drill bit of a drilling tool. The drill bit may be provided with several narrow fluid channels into which rock material may enter during drilling and cause the apertures to clog. The clogging causes sudden increase in flow resistance, since the flushing fluid is not escaping the drill bit. Then the flow of flushing fluid decreases and pressure in the feed duct increases. The control unit may then detect that the clogging occurs. The clogging may be detected by monitoring the flow and pressure prevailing in the feed duct.

According to an embodiment, the flushing system includes a control unit and one or more control principles to be executed in the control unit. An optional control principle may be designed to detect cracks and cavities in the material being drilled. Pressure in the feed duct may decrease suddenly when a drill bit of drilling tool enters a cavity. That is because the flushing fluid may then escape freely from the drill bit to a space surrounding the drill bit instead of flowing to a narrow space between the drilling tool and the drilled bore hole. When the drilling tool enters the cavity in the rock material flow resistance of the flushing fluid decreases. Also, when the drilled rock material has cracks or is fragmented, the flushing fluid may flow to voids in the rock material, whereby the flow resistance of the flushing fluid may decrease. Then the flow of flushing fluid increases and pressure in the feed duct decreases. The control unit may then detect the change in the drilling conditions. The system may monitor the flow and pressure prevailing in the feed duct.

According to an embodiment, pressure of the flushing fluid is set as high as possible. A maximum pressure rate is defined by a structure of a drilling machine. One or more pressure sensors or pressure sensing devices may be utilized to detect pressure of the flushing fluid acting in the drilling machine. The maximum pressure rate tolerated by the drilling machine is known by the control unit, whereby the control unit may control the pump unit to produce a pressure close to the predefined maximum pressure. Flushing of drilling cuttings may be improved by using as high pressure as possible. In addition to pressure, also flow of the flushing fluid may be increased, whereby total flushing capacity is increased.

According to an embodiment, the flushing fluid is water.

According to an embodiment, the rock drilling machine of the drilling unit is a down-the-hole (DTH) drilling machine comprising a rotating unit and a percussion unit arranged at opposite ends of a tool. The disclosed flushing system and method may be applied in DTH-drilling.

According to an embodiment, the rock drilling machine of the drilling unit is a rotary drilling machine comprising a rotating unit. The rotary drilling machine is without any percussion device. The disclosed flushing system and method may be applied in rotary drilling.

According to an embodiment, the rock drilling machine of the drilling unit is a top hammer drilling machine comprising a rotating device and a percussion device located at a rear end of the tool. The disclosed flushing system and method may be applied in rotary drilling.

According to an embodiment, the disclosed flushing system is utilized in surface drilling.

According to an embodiment, the disclosed flushing system is utilized in underground drilling.

The above-disclosed embodiments can be combined in order to form suitable solutions provided with necessary features disclosed.

The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the embodiments, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. It should be understood that the embodiments depicted are not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a rock drilling rig provided with a drilling unit and a flushing system.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a flushing system.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a flushing system provided with means for an air-mist flushing in addition to normal liquid flushing.

FIG. 4 is a schematic graph showing different control situations of a flushing system.

For the sake of clarity, the figures show some embodiments of the disclosed solution in a simplified manner. In the figures, like reference numerals identify like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a rock drilling rig 1, which includes a movable carrier 2 and a drilling boom 3 movably connected to the carrier 2. At a distal end of the boom 3 is a drilling unit 4, which includes a drilling machine 5. The drilling machine 5 may have a shank 6 at a front end of the rock drilling machine 5 for connecting a tool 7. The tool 7 may include one or more drill rods 8 and a drill bit 9 located at a distal end of the tool 7. The tool 7 may have a flushing channel leading to the drill bit 9. The drilling machine 5 further includes a rotating device 10 for rotating the shank 6 and the tool 7 connected to the shank 6. The drilling machine 5 may also be provided with a percussion device for generating impact pulses to the tool 7. The drilling unit 4 may further include a feed beam 11 on which the drilling machine 5 may be supported. The drilling machine 5 may be moved on the feed beam 11 by a feed device 12.

At a drilling site, one or more drill holes 13 are drilled with the drilling unit 4. The drill holes 13 may be drilled in a vertical direction, as shown in FIG. 1, or in a horizontal direction. During drilling rock material is detached by means of the drill bit 9.

Produced drilling cuttings need to be removed from the drill hole 13. Therefore, the rock drilling rig 1 is provided with a flushing system 14, which includes a pump unit 15 for feeding pressurized flushing fluid by means of a feed duct or hose 16 to the drilling machine 5. The drilling machine 5 may include a flushing housing around the shank 6 so that the flushing fluid may enter to a longitudinal flushing channel of the tool 7. Thus, the flushing fluid may flow through the tool 7 towards the drill bit 9.

The drill bit 9 is provided with flushing apertures allowing the flushing fluid to finally escape from of the drill bit 9. In the drill hole 13 the flushing fluid pushes the drilling cuttings towards a mouth of the drill hole 13. During drilling a need for flushing may vary because of executed drilling efficiency or rock material being drilled, for example. The amount of flushing may be adjusted accurately and quickly when using the disclosed flushing system.

FIG. 2 discloses, in a simplified manner, a flushing system 14 including a pump unit 15, a valve 17, a flow meter F, a feed duct 16 and a control unit CU. The pump unit 15 includes a power device 18, which is arranged to drive a pump 19 for producing pressurized flushing fluid flow to the feed duct 16. The valve 17 is arranged in the feed duct 16 for controlling feeding of the flushing fluid. The valve 17 may be an on/off type allowing only opening and closing the feed duct 16. The valve 17 is opened when the flushing fluid is fed, and closed when no need for flushing exists.

The flow rate of the flushing fluid may be sensed by means of the flow meter F and the sensing data may be transmitted to the control unit CU. Based on the received sensing data the control unit CU may control pumping of the flushing fluid. The power device 18 may be a hydraulic motor connected to a hydraulic system 20. The pumping unit 15 may include an adjusting device 21 allowing rotational speed of the hydraulic motor and the pump 19 to be adjusted. The control unit CU may control the adjusting device 21 and the valve 17.

Alternatively, the power device 18 may be an electrical motor and the adjusting device 21 may be a frequency converter. Further, the feed duct 16 may be provided with an optional pressure sensing device P for detecting prevailing pressure of the feed duct 16. The pressure sensing data may also be transmitted to the control unit CU. Due to the pressure sensing data, it is possible to set the pressure of the flushing fluid as high as tolerated by the drilling unit 4. The pressure data may also utilized for detecting changes in the rock material being drilled.

FIG. 3 discloses a flushing system 14, which is provided with a liquid flushing system and an air-mist flushing system. The air-mist system includes a compressor 22, which may be driven by means of a power device 23, such as an electrical motor. Supply of pressurized air may be adjusted by an adjusting device 24, which may be a frequency converter, for example. The produced air flow of the compressor 22 may be conveyed through an air feed duct 25 to a feed duct 16, wherein the air mixes with the flushing fluid.

In air-mist flushing the amount of flushing fluid is smaller than in a normal liquid flushing. A control unit CU may control the opening and closing of an air valve 17C, adjusting device 24 and a small sized valve 17A of a feed duct 16 a in order to produce the desired air-mist flushing.

In FIG. 3 the flushing fluid system 14 includes two parallel feed ducts 16 a and 16 b, which are provided with control valves 17A and 17B. The control valves 17A and 17B may have orifices, which have a mutually different size. The control valve 17A may be utilized in air-mist flushing as disclosed above. The control valve 17B may be utilized in liquid flushing alone or in combination with the control valve 17A. The valves 17A and 17B may be opened and closed according to the produced flow, whereby different operational combinations of the valves may be utilized for scaling the flow path in response to the supplied flow. The control valves 17A and 17B may be provide with throttles 25 a and 25 b, or alternatively the throttles may be individual components arranged in parallel feed ducts 16 a and 16 b. The control valves 17A and 17B may be on/off type valves since adjusting of the flushing system is based on adjustment of the pump unit 15.

In FIG. 3 flow rate determination is based on a pressure difference measurement utilizing pressure sensors P1 and P2. Thus, the feed duct 16 is provided with means for throttling flow of the feed duct. The throttle 25 a, 25 b causes a pressure drop. Pressure drop over the throttling is sensed or measured by means of pressure sensors P1, P2 and this data is used for determining the flow rate in the feed duct 16. The adjusting device 21 may be controlled on the basis of the detected flow rate. The control unit CU also selects opening and closing of valves 17A and 17B according to the need. Control principles, algorithms and an additional data may be input to control unit by means of a user interface UI.

The flushing system 14 may also differ from the one disclosed in FIG. 3. In an alternative embodiment, more than two operationally parallel feed duct portions and valves may be utilized. Further, the flow rate may be detected by means of a flow meter instead of pressure difference measurement. The pump unit 15 may also be hydraulically driven as it is shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 illustrates three different scales of flows. Reference is made to the flushing system of FIG. 3 comprising valves 17A and 17B in the feed duct. A lowermost curve A relates to a situation when only valve 17A is open. The curve in the middle relates to a situation when only valve 17B is open. An uppermost curve A+B shows a situation when both valves 17A and 17B are open. Depending on the flow rate the control unit opens and closes the valves 17A and 17B.

Although the present embodiment(s) has been described in relation to particular aspects thereof, many other variations and modifications and other uses will become apparent to those skilled in the art. It is preferred therefore, that the present embodiment(s) be limited not by the specific disclosure herein, but only by the appended claims. 

1. A flushing system of a drilling unit, wherein the drilling unit comprises a drilling machine and a tool connectable to the drilling machine, the flushing system comprising: a pump unit for feeding pressurized flushing fluid, wherein the pump unit includes a pump and a power device for driving the pump; at least one feed duct for feeding the pressurized flushing fluid from the pump to the drilling machine; at least one valve disposed in the feed duct for controlling flow of the flushing fluid conveyed to the drilling machine; at least one sensing device arranged to measure at least one property of the fed flushing fluid; at least one control unit for controlling the feed of the flushing fluid in response to a sensing data received from the at least one sensing device; and wherein the pump unit is a variable flow rate pump unit provided with adjusting means allowing flow rate of the flushing fluid to be varied, the control unit being configured to determine flow rate of the flushing fluid on the basis of the received sensing data, and the control unit being further configured to control the flow rate of the fed flushing fluid by adjusting the pressure supplied by the pump; and at least a first feed duct and a second feed duct, which are operationally parallel relative to each other; the first feed duct being provided with a first valve and a first throttle; and the second feed duct is being provided with a second valve and a second throttle, the first throttle and the second throttle each having orifices, which differ in size, the first valve and the second valve being independently controllable, wherein the control unit is configured to control opening and closing of the first valve and the second valve according to the operation of the drilling unit.
 2. The flushing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the valve is an on/off-type without adjusting means.
 3. The flushing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein first and second throttle is an integrated element of a respective valve.
 4. The flushing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the throttle is a separate element relative to the valve.
 5. The flushing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one throttle is arranged in the at least one feed duct, wherein the at least one throttle causes a pressure drop.
 6. The flushing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one feed duct is provided with at least one flow meter for determining the flow rate of the flushing fluid.
 7. The flushing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pump is driven by an electrical motor, the operating speed of the pump being adjusted in order to adjust the produced flow of the flushing fluid, wherein the rotational speed of the electric motor is adjusted by an adjusting device.
 8. The flushing system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the pump is a fixed displacement pump and the supplied pressure of the pump is adjusted by adjusting the rotational speed of the pump.
 9. The flushing system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the adjusting device is a frequency converter.
 10. The flushing system as claimed in claim 9, wherein at least one pressure sensing device is arranged to detect pressure of the flushing fluid acting in the drilling machine, the pressure of the flushing fluid being adjusted by adjusting the pump, a maximum pressure rate tolerated by the drilling machine being set to the control unit, and wherein the control unit is arranged to control the pump unit to supply a pressure close to the predefined maximum pressure.
 11. The flushing system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an air-mist flushing system and at least one compressor for supplying compressed air for the flushing and the pump is a water pump arranged to supply pressurized water for the flushing, wherein the supplied pressurized flushing water and the pressurized flushing air are mixed in the feed duct, whereby air-mist is produced, the control unit being arranged to control the operation of the compressor.
 12. The flushing system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the compressor is driven by a second electrical motor; and an operational speed of the second electrical motor is controlled by a frequency converter in order to adjust the flow rate of the compressed air.
 13. A method of controlling feeding of flushing fluid of a flushing system of a rock drilling unit, according to claim 1, the rock drilling unit including a drilling machine and a tool connectable to the drilling machine, the method comprising the steps of: pressurizing flushing fluid by at least one pump unit and conveying the pressurized flushing fluid to the drilling machine through at least one feed duct; controlling the feeding of the flushing fluid by at least one valve arranged in the feed duct; monitoring the fed flushing fluid with at least one sensing device; and controlling the flow rate of the flushing fluid by adjusting the pressure supplied by the pump unit; directing the flushing fluid through at least two valves being operationally parallel and having flow paths which are different in size; and selecting selectively opening and closing of the at least two valves in response to magnitude of the supplied volume flow of the pump unit.
 14. The flushing system of claim 5, further comprising at least one first pressure sensing device for detecting pressure of the flushing fluid acting before the at least one throttle and at least one second pressure sensing device for detecting pressure of the flushing fluid acting after the at least one throttle, the sensed pressure data being transmitted to the control unit, wherein the control unit is configured to determine a pressure difference caused by the throttle and determine the flow rate of the flushing fluid on the basis of the detected pressure difference. 